5Bartholomew ‘Black Bart’ Roberts – $32 million
Born John Roberts, in 1682, Bartholomew Roberts was a Welsh pirate, and also the most successful pirate of the Golden Age of Piracy, as measured by vessels captured. And Bartholomew had over 470.
He raided ships off the Americas and West Africa between 1719 and 1722.
Also known as Black Bart, meaning Barti Ddu in Welsh, his nickname was never used in his lifetime, because there was another Black Bart of the American West.
The wealthy pirate was killed on February 10, 1722, and obviously, his fortune disappeared upon his death.
